My beloved Mt. Tam Church,
Today I was able to walk more than one block for the first time in five weeks. Knee replacement surgery has pushed back my exercise and workout routine, making a walk around the block a great achievement. But today, I walked for about a mile and it felt like fifteen, yet the sense of accomplishment that came with this felt like a grand victory! Life almost felt back to normal. Or at least this part of life!
For there is little “normal” right now, is there? That’s one of the primary reasons we worked so long and hard at bringing in person worship outdoors, because I wanted to gather together, which is normal for a church. I still feel the absence of people who aren’t there, and I rejoice for everyone who is there, whether online or outdoors. We will have outdoor worship for the entire month of October and what a month it will be! This Sunday, we celebrate the baptism of Mackenzie Rose Linch. On October 11, we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper with social distancing communion, done up in pre-packaged individual set-ups with juice and bread. And hopefully, we will take in new members on October 18 or 25th, after the new members class on October 11, after worship. (Please see the separate article in this Faith Matters.)
On November 1, we will return to online only worship. We will continue to monitor the congregation’s readiness to return to worship together inside the sanctuary, as well as follow County guidelines and the Bishop’s directives about in-person indoor worship. We want to be as prepared and able to be together indoors safely as we are at the outdoor service.I will miss being in person together while being immensely grateful for the technology that allows us to gather in one while in our homes. It’s a beautiful month ahead as we practice our spiritual resilience and connect with one another by faith. Thanks be to God!
Peace,
Pastor Kim
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